A gathering of a few dozen people turned out for the now usually quiet annual ceremony, with local officials, residents and students beginning the ceremonies with a minute’s silence at 8:30am.
Afterwards, Sarawut Srisakukam, Chief of the Mai Khao Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor), led the formal ceremony, during which he expressed his gratitude to those who turned up and offered his condolences to those who lost loved ones to the disaster.
As is tradition, the formal speech was followed by Buddhist, Muslim and Christian prayers for the souls lost to the waves on Dec 26, 2004, and attendees hung wreaths along the Wall of Remembrance, which was decorated with flags of the 45 nations who lost citizens.
While attendance at the tsunami-memorial ceremonies held at the Wall of Remembrance over the years has dwindled, the annual “Light Up Phuket” candlelight service at Patong Beach has gained in popularity.
The “Light Up Phuket” candlelit ceremony will be observed at Loma Park in Patong and on Patong Beach tonight, starting at 6pm. (See story here.)